Producer or Butler?
by J.C. Dion
Summary: What would have happened if Fran never came to the Sheffields Mansion? Would she have fallen in love with Niles anyway or would Maxwell had given her a chance? No perfect English!
1. Chapter 1

It was a nice day in september, when the little Brighton started to annoy his father Maxwell Sheffield. „Brighton, please be quiet and get out of my office, me and Miss Babcock have some work to do!", the Broadway producer tried to say in a calm tone.

„Let me take care of him Maxwell. So you can do all the contracts and I will be back in two hours, if you have no problem with that." CC had that little smile on her lips she ever had when she was about to reach her goal.

„Sure CC, that´s very nice of you", Maxwell said without showing any emotions.

CC walked out holding Brightons hand and the last thing Maxwell could hear was: „ Come on Bernhard, we´ll go to the zoo, it will be a great day!"

„My name is Brighton."

A sweet chuckle came over Max mouth and suddenly Niles walked in.

„What´s that about? The evil Babcock-Snake is visiting her family?", he asked.

„Niles, don´t be so mean, CC is an attractive woman and I know, even if she doesn´t know the name of my children, that she has got a good soul.", Mister Sheffield said without looking up from his papers.

„Sure Sure", Niles whispered while leaving the room.

At that moment Max looked up and stared to the sofa where CC sits all the time. And he thought. He thought about his wife Sarah and about the kids.

„Maybe it´s time to go on. Maybe it´s time to just do it. I know she waited so long. I know that she´d be a good wife. She is the one I can trust in everything, so why shouldn´t I trust her with my heart? I don´t care if all the stupid paparazzi will write about us. Love is Love. Wait. Did I just say love? Do I really love her?"

The only thing he could think about was CC. The woman who was there for him when he started his Productions in New York. The woman who was there when his three children were born. And the woman who was there for him when Sarah died. Even if all the people thought that she would have a heart of stone, she was the one who was there for him in good as in bad times, the one who always stood tall and never gave up when something wasn´t going right.

The strong woman behind the broken producer, who was always said to be the best Producer (after Andrew Lloyd Webber).

She deserved more than this lonely life she was living. She deserved a man who really loved her and who could make her happy. Maxwell was sure about it.

„NILES!", he screamed, „ Could you please make a reservation at this mexican restaurant in the 36th street?"

„The one with the romantic view out of the window and the live band?", Niles asked.

„Yes, Niles, old man. Please make a reservation for two people and say that we want the best table we can have. Tonight will be a night she´ll never forget. I´ll be back in two hours, I have to buy a diamond ring.", He almost sang the sentences and he almost danced outside of the mansion.

Niles knew Maxwell for nearly his whole life, but he never saw him more crazy.

„Do I have to call the doctor?" Niles said to hisself. He knew that Mister Sheffield was about to propose to Miss Babcock tonight, but he didn´t really care. He hated her, didn´t he?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two:**

**At the restaurant**

„Do I smell a Tony or why did you invite me here Maxwell?", CC asked. She wore a long black dress with a white blazer over it. They sat at a small round table surrounded by flowers.

„I would be really happy if we would win a Tony this year but I think you-know-who will win again. But what makes me even happier is spending a little time with you without these stupid buisiness things. So let´s just enjoy the night."

They spent the whole time while eating in silence. It was crazy, but they had nothing to talk about when they weren´t allowed to talk about buisiness things. Finally Maxwell broke the silence.

„CC, I did not only invite you here to just eat. I wanted to thank you for everything you ever did for me. You were there when I started the productions here in New York. I don´t know if I would have made it without you. You know... When Sarah died, it was like my heart was destroyed and broken in a thousand pieces, but you made it whole again somehow. I found my way back to the productions and because of you I had the chance to spend a little more time with my children. They are everything that I have left of Sarah, they are so important for me and I don´t want to do anything to hurt them. They are growing so fast. Today Maggie said to me that I have to move on and find a new woman. And Niles said kinda like same. It´s so crazy. I think I found this woman long ago and I just didn´t see it." Maxwell took CC s Hand in his and smiled.

CC looked a little bit hurt. „So why don´t you just tell her? Do you want dating tips, you know I´m not good at this. Do you want to ask me if it is okay for me if you´d start again to date women? Is it because you know that I may have or not have a crush on you? You don´t have to ask me, I´m sure there will come a man who will just wipe me off of my feet. It´s not like you´d have to have a reason to worry about me." She took a big sip of her wine.

Mr Sheffield stood up walked around the table, took her hand again and kneeled down infront of her. CC went pale.

„Maxwell, this isn´t that what it looks like. Please tell me it´s not true."

„CC, you look so beautiful tonight, as always, why haven´t I seen this years ago." He took a little red box out of his jacket and opened it. In there was a beautiful ring with a diamond on it.

„Do you want to marry me?"

CC just sat there, staring at him, saying nothing.

„I... That wasn´t really what I expected." CC said smiling a little bit afraid. She thought about turning the proposal down. But could she live with that desicion? Could she ever look him in the eyes again? What if that was the only chance for her to marry a person who she trusted, who understands her, who thought that she looked beautiful. Who would ever think of her like this?

„Yes, Maxwell, I... I want to marry you." Both were smiling and they shared a long kiss.

They drove back to the mansion in Max black limousine. They both were really tired and CC let her head rest on Maxwells shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Telling everybody

The next morning went quite normal. CC came over to join the Sheffields while eating breakfast. She wasn´t sure if Maxwell already told the children about the marriage. She didn´t know why, but somehow she wanted them to know already. She was afraid how they would react ´cause she knew that they didn´t like her very much. And she wanted to avoid Niles as long as she could. She just didn´t want to hear his comments that Maxwell would only marry her because she would die alone anyways. Was it just that or was there something more?

„Hello Hello", she said as she came into the eating room.

„Oh CC, come on, sit down next to me" Maxwell said and she said down as he started to talk.

„Children, I think we have to tell you something"

CC s face froze. He hasn´t told the kids.

„I asked Miss Babcock if she wants to marry me, and she said yes.."

He couldn´t even finish his sentence when the kids ran out of the kitchen.

„They are just afraid that I would forget them if I´d marry again, no need to worry CC", he said when he noticed CC s sad face.

Suddenly Maggie came back and screamed: „It´s not because of that. We know that you wouldn´t forget us Daddy. We hate Miss Babcock. She knows me since the day I was born and she couldn´t manage it to remember my name! She doesn´t care about us! As soon as you´ll me married she´ll do anything to send us away to a boarding school. She hates us and we hate her. That´s all. Do you really want to marry a woman hates your children?"

Maggie stood there, waiting for a reaction. CC had tears in her eyes. „Maggie, it´s...I... I don´t hate you!" She said and ran out of the room and so did Maggie.

Niles stood there like he was frozen. Sure, he knew that Maxwell wanted to propose to Miss Babcock, but he hasn´t thought that he would really do it. Now, he knew that they would marry soon he felt a kind of jealousy.

„What shall I do Niles? CC is such a wonderful woman"

„As if I wouldn´t know that", Niles whispered.

„What was that Niles?"

„Nothing, Sir, Nothing."

Niles took all the plates and disappeared into the kitchen.

He knew it. He knew it all the time. He was in love with CC Babcock. For 15 years. Since the day she first came into the mansion.


	4. Chapter 4

CC ran after Maggie. She wanted to make things clear. To explain things. When she arrived at Maggies room, Maggie sat on her bed, crying.

CC knocked on the door.

„Stay outside! I want to be alone!"

„It´s me, CC. I wanna talk to you and explain things." CC just opened the door and sat down next to Maggie and took her in her arms, softly stroking through her hair. „I don´t hate you Maggie. And I never really forgot your name or the name of your siblings. It´s just... you know, in buisiness you have to be cold. And that´s what my parents have tought me all my life. I can´t just push a button and I´m a lovely woman. And no matter how hard I try, I will every be a cold harted witch. I really want to be a warm and friedly woman, but I just can´t. All the time I pretended to be happy, but I wasn´t. I was never. I think if I´d marry, I´m going to be a better person."

A single tear ran down from CC s face.

„But Miss Babcock", Maggie said, letting go of CC s arms. „That´s not the right desicion. And I know that you´re not really in love with Daddy."

CC was shocked about the words the girl threw out.

„What do you know about love, you´re just a little girl!"

„I´m not a little girl anymore. And I saw real love."

„Yes, between your father and your mother and that´s so long ago, I doubt that you can remember that so good. And I understand that it is hard for you to see that your Dad is going to marry another woman."

„Yes, that´s long ago. But I see it every day. And now please don´t interrupt me. I see it everyday between you and Niles. Have you ever seen the way he´s looking at you? And I´ve seen the way you look at him. You can´t survive a day without each other. The way you tease each other. You have fun togheter. When do you ever have fun with daddy? You and Niles would be the perfect couple. Why don´t you see it?"

CC couldn´t say a word. Yes, she had seen it. And she´s still seeing it. She just could´t believe that the butler would feel the same for her.

She started to cry and now Maggie took her in her arms.

„Everything´s okay. Miss Babcock, you don´t have to cry. You just have to tell Daddy, he won´t be angry at you. Just go home. I´ll tell him that you felt sick and you went home."

„Thank you Maggie." CC said and put a soft kiss on Maggies head.

On this evening CC was, again, alone in her penthouse. But she didn´t drink. She just thought about her and Niles. How could this be? She fell in love with a domestic! Is it right to start a marriage with a rich man, going to have a wonderful life? But was it going to be a woderful life, with kids who hated her, every day in pain, because she had to see the love of her life every day, knowing that she´d lost everything they could´ve had, just because she was so dumb and said yes because of money?

CC realized that Maggie was right. But she couldn´t tell Maxwell. It was too late. The wedding was next week, all the guest were already invited and she didn´t want to embarass Maxwell. She´d have to marry him.

„Okay, I´m going to marry him.", she whispered sadly.

At the same time Niles was still in the kitchen to do all the dishes. Normally he would do it in the morning but he did anything to not think about CC. But most of the time he didn´t succeed. He couldn´t help it, he had to think of her all the time. He thought about her and Mr Sheffield and there were so many questions that flew around in his head. Would they really be happy? Would he ever be able to look her in the eyes again without showing his pain?

He just hoped he wouldn´t see her tomorrow. He decided to avoid her as much as he possibly could.

And so did she decide to avoid Niles as long as she could.


	5. Chapter 5

**I know that there were some mistakes in the last chapter. I´m really sorry and I´m trying to do it better this time. **

Chapter 5.

The next day went quite normal for Max and CC. They both worked on the new show, which would open in one month. The only thing that wasn´t normal was that Niles didn´t come into the office one time this day. CC was glad about this, because she knew that if she´d see Niles, it´s getting hard to not show her feelings.

Suddenly Maxwell started talking. „I think we have to talk about the wedding CC"

„Oh sure Maxwell."

„I just wanted to know if you really want to marry me. I mean... whenever we´re planning something you don´t really talk to me. You just seem as if you aren´t here. Everyday after work you´re disappointing as fast you can. And everytime I wanna do something with the kids and you, you have work to do. I´m your partner and if you think that I wouldn´t know that you do unneccessary things you´re wrong. I want an answer to this."

CC shrugged. That wasn´t what she was expecting to hear. She didn´t really know what to answer. The last time she felt caught like this was when she had stolen the chocolate of her brother when she was younger.

„Maxwell, it´s just... you know. I don´t want to hurt you. I don´t want to disappoint you. I just think that this whole thing is wrong. I never had the feeling that I could be loved by anyone. I was feeling alone, bad, just like someone who isn´t loved and has no friends feels. But I´ve found a true friend. And I found love. Both the day I started working here. You were the very first friend, after Sarah, I did ever have. And I you´re still my best friend. And I believe that if we marry each other, we´d break this. We aren´t a couple which is truly in love. Come on, since you proposed to me, we didn´t spent a night togheter, we didn´t even spent a day without working togheter. I never see the sparkles in your eyes you had when you married Sarah..."

There, she said it. But that wasn´t the whole thing. Somehow she had to say that it was Niles she truly fell in love with. But before she could say anything Maxwell started to continue.

„I know CC. And I´m glad you noticed it before I had to say it. I just felt so alone and I thought that you were the best woman to choose."

„Wait. WHAT? I was the best woman to choose? Maxwell I´m not some slut you can choose. Believe it or not, I have feelings and I´m not someone who´s just making out with anyone. I believed that we could have made it. But you know what? You have a very clever daughter. I don´t know where she got that from but surely not from you. Because you are just some Businessman, who only cares about his career and how to beat Andrew Lloyd Webber. And you´re there for your kids, that´s what I love about you. But Maggie is really clever,..."

Her voice was so full of anger and you could hear her through the whole mansion. Max was a little bit afraid because he´d never seen her like that before. Someone who was also afraid was Niles, he was a little bit happy about the cancelled wedding but he was also disappointed, because he had already ordered all the food.

„Calm Down CC. I know that Maggie is clever, but what has she to do with us, and since when do you care about the children?"

„Are you really that dumb? Maggie is your child, of course she has something to do with us. And..."

CC stopped talking, was trying to calm down and said quietly: „ She said something to me that I´d maybe never found out without her help. I realized that it´s not important how much money someone has, it´s not important which job someone has. In love means, you can not eat, you can not sleep, you have the feeling like you had just won seven tonys and Webber none. There are just these butterflies in your stomach. And the sadness when he´s gone. When he touches you, maybe just for a second, but you have to think about it all day. And the worst thing is, when you don´t know if he feels the same."

Niles, who (how typical) stand on the other side of the door, knew that she´d meant him.

„But CC..." Max said.

„No Maxwell, now is my turn" God, how Niles loved it when she showed the men who´s the boss.

„I´m in love." CC knew that Niles stood behind the door. Some people would call it `inner connection`.

She slowly went to the door, opened it, took Niles in her arms and slowly put a gentle kiss on his lips. It was only a small kiss, but Maxwells mouth stood open. He really did never realize that there were feelings between them, but he was happy for them.

„I love you Niles, and I´m sorry that this comes so late. But I was never sure about it. Or I tried to throw it out of my head. I hope you forgive me."

„The only thing I´d never forgive you is if you don´t let me kiss you right now"

Their lips touched again, and as their lips slowly parted and their tongues touched , they both felt this Tony- winning feeling.


End file.
